Rotary printing machine



June 15, 1937. s, PAXTON 2,083,862

ROTARY PRINTING MACHIN E 0 IN V EN TORI A TTORNEY June l5, 1937. s, PAX-TON 2,083,862

ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Shet 2 ze a j! ff 1N VEA/TOR;

ATToR/vgy Patented June 15, 1937 yUNHTED STT rAreNT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to and has for an object the provision of a rotary printing machine of light weight and portable character, particularly adapted for use in restaurants and other places of business for the purpose of printing menus,

cards, circulars, etc.

The machine is also adapted for duplicating work in the production of multiple copies of letters, price lists and other printed matter.

It is an object also of my invention to provide a rotary printer embodying a cylinder with means on the periphery thereof for operatively supporting type slugs and inking means, incluchng a pair of rollers, one of which is arranged for contact with the type, together with means controlled by the rotation of the printing cylinder for regulating and eiecting the engagement and disengagement of the rollers with each other and the engagement and disengagement of one of the rollers with the printing cylinder.

A further object 'comprehends means for permitting but one complete revolution of the printing cylinder at each operation of the machine, together with manually operable means for rer leasing the cylinder for rotation when a sheet of paper or the like is positioned so as to receive an imprint from the printing cylinder.

Other objects include an improved form of type slug and means for detachably supporting the same on a printing cylinder; an inking platen eX- tensibly supported on the bed of the machine; and means beneath the bed of the machine for storing quantities of paper for inking operations.

Still other objects may appear as the description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, subject to modification within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an assembled machine embodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation or line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front end elevation.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation on line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on line 6 5 Of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on line 'l-l of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a type slug adapted to be detachably supported on a printing cylinder.

(Cl. lill- 245) Fig. 9 is a fragmentary transverse section of the printing cylinder with type slugs detachably mounted thereon.

Briefly described, the machine includes a base i With a pair of transversely spaced side plates 2 5 and 3 suitably secured thereto, said side plates being of substantially uniform character and cross connected by a plurality of stay-rods, as at 4, 5 and 6, which are secured to the plates 2 and 3 by means of screws l. l0

A bed 8 is horizontally positioned substantially above the base i and is mounted adjacent the sides 2 and 3 on longitudinal bars 9, S which in turn rest upon substantially wider bars lil, iii,

and the bed 8 and bars 9 and l ll are supported on 15 and are secured to inwardly turned lugs ll, ll from the sides 2 and 3 by means of screws i2, l2. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4, a narrow space is provided between the bed 8 and bars l@ for the reception of an eXtensible inking plate i3 having 2O a grip I4 at its outer end.

A printing couple, including a printing cylinder l5 and an impression roller It, are mounted respectively on shafts Il and i8 at the rear end of the machine, as shown in Fig. 3. The shaft El 25 is fixed in its position and rotates in the frame members 2 and 3 while the impression roller shaft I8 is yieldably mounted on a pair of arms E9, i9 which are suitably pivoted on the inner sides of the members 2 and 3, as by means of screws 26, 30 20. The arms I9 are provided with grooves 2l on their upper sides, as shown in Fig. 3, for rotatably receiving the impression roller shaft I8. Said impression roller is yieldably held with re'- spect to the printing roller l5 by means of com- 35 pression springs 22, 22 which are carried on screws 23, 23 which extend thru end portions 2li, arms i9, and are threaded into lugs 25 attached to the inner sides of the members 2 and 3.

rIhe impression roller is adjustably held rela- 40 tive to the printing member i5 by means of set screws 26, which are threaded into and extend upwardly from the arms i9 for engagement with the lugs 25. Thus the impression roller is limited as necessary in its upward movement by means 45 of the screws 26 and is yieldable downwardly against the tension of springs 22.

The printing roller I5 is of unitary character with end flanges 28 and 29 between which a plurality of longitudinally disposed parallel grooves 5U 30 are formed on the periphery of the centra1 portion. Said grooves detachably receive and support metal type slugs 3| in position on the periphery of the printing member with the type faces 32 outwardly. The slugs 3| are provided 5 with deep grooves 33 in their bottoms, thereby providing slugs of inverted U-shaped cross section, whereby resilient and compressible attaching strips 34, as of rubber or the like, may be permanently held in the grooves 33 of the slugs and extended beyond the bottoms of the slugs for frictional engagement with the periphery of the printing member when they are seated in the longitudinal grooves 39 thereof, as shown in Fig, 9.

The alinement of type faces is accomplished by firmly seating the bottom edges of the slugs 3l on the periphery 35 of the printing member and the extended portions of the attaching members 34 are of slightly less length than the depth of the grooves 30, thereby insuring against the engagement of the bottoms of the attaching members 34 with the bottoms of the groove 30 and preventing a misalinement of the type faces. When the slugs 3I are positioned on the printing cylinder in the manner shown in Fig. 9, the attaching members 34 will compress suiiiciently to insure ample friction between the sides of the attaching members and the sides of the grooves. Thus the slugs are detachably held on the printing member and may be readily removed or attached at will and yet firmly held in proper position for printing operations without fear of displacement.

'Ihe printing member is rotatable on the frame by means of a gear 36, either formed on or attached to one end thereof and in mesh with a driving pinion 31 which is xed to a transverse shaft 33 rotatably held on the frame members 2 and 3. To one end of shaft 38, as shown in Fig. 1, an operating crank 39 may be permanently or detachably secured and said crank may be provided with an operating handle 40.

As shown in Fig. 1, the rotation of the crank 39 in a clockwise direction will affect the rotation of the cylinder I5 in a counter-clockwise direction, and the impression roller i6 is rotated in a clockwise direction by means of frictional engagement with the end portions 28 and 29 of the printing cylinder I5. One end of shaft I1 has a locking disc 4I fixed thereto or xed to the cylinder I5 which, in cooperation with a manually operable latch member 42, is adapted to limit the rotation of the printing member I5 to a single revolution at each printing operation and to stop the rotation thereof and to hold the printing member in the same position at the completion of each operation.

The locking member 4I is provided with a peripheral notch 43 and additionally with a shoulder 44 spaced substantially from said notch (see Figs. 3 and 1). Latch 42 is pivotally held on the plate 3 by means of a screw or pin 45 and is provided with an upwardly extended arm 46 having a tooth 41 adapted to engage the notch 43 in member 4I for locking the cylinder I5 against rotation. The arm 46 also pivotally supports at a point 48 a pawl 49 which is tensioned by means of a spring 5U suitably mounted for urging the end of the pawl into frictional contact with the periphery of member 4I.

As shown in Fig. 3, when the printing cylinder I5 is in normally locked position preparatory to an ensuing printing operation, the tooth 41 on arm 46 is engaged with the notch 43 on member 4I, while the pawl 49 engages the periphery of member 4I. Latch 42 is held engaged with locking member 4!.by means of a tension spring 5I (shown in Fig. 3) and is provided with a forwardly extended operating arm 52 whereby the latch may be disengaged from member 4I at will.

Movement of the arm 52 downwardly obviously will disengage the latch and unlock the printing cylinder for an ensuing operation, but such movement of the latch is limited by means of a stop 53 secured to plate 3 and underlying the arm 52. When the latch 42 is operated for disengagement from member 4I the retractive movement of arm 46 will be sufficient to cause the pawl 49 to drop into engagement with the shoulder 44 on member 4I, thereby preventing the restoration of the latch and incidentally preventing also the clockwise rotation of the printing cylinder.

It will be noted that as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the end portions 28 and 29 are cut away on the periphery at 44 so that when the printing cylinder is normally in locked position ample space will be provided between the portions 28 and 29 and the impression roller I6 for the insertion of sheets of paper, cards, or the like, as at 55, into the grip thereof.

A pair of ink rollers 56 and 51 are yieldably mounted and arranged for the application of a lm of ink to the type faces 32 at each operation of the printing member I5. The lowermost roller 56 is an applicator, while the uppermost roller 51 is a distributor. Said inking rollers are preferably formed of gelatin or of other suitable material for the application of ink to metal surfaces, and are molded or `otherwise held on shafts 58 and 59 respectively, which are detachably held at their extended ends on pairs of arm 60 and 6 I, as shown in Fig. 3.

The arms 69 and 6I are pivotally held on a transverse shaft 62, the ends of which are rotatable in the plates 2 and 3. The arms 6I have extensions 63 which are inclined downwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, and together with the arms 6I are fixed to the shaft 62. The arms 69 have buttons 64 thereon in the pla-ne of and adapted to be cngaged by the extensions 63 on the arms 6I. One i or both of the extensions B3 may be engageable with a button or buttons 65 on an end or both ends of the cylinder I5. The arms are loose on shaft 62 and said shaft is tensioned by means of springs 66 adjacent the sides 2 and 3 (see Fig. 2) with their opposite ends bearing against the stay-rod 5 and a pin, button or projection on the arm 69.

Thus at a point near the completion of an operation of the printing member I5 the button or i buttons 65 on said member will engage the extension or extensions 63 and retract the upper roller 51 from engagement with the lower roller 56, and following such movement the extensions 63 will engage the buttons 64 on arms 60 and retract the lower rollers 56 from engagement with the type faces 32 of slugs 3|.

When the retractive movement of the inking rollers is completed, the latch arms 46 will operatively engage the notches 43 on members 4I to prevent the further ccunterclockwise rotation of member I5, and the latch 42 will be restored to its normal position preparatory to another operation.

A cover 68 formed of sheet metal is hinged on the stay-rod 5 and forms a shield or guard for the inking rollers 56 and 51.

In operation, the sheets or cards 55 are placed one at a time atwise on the bed 8 and forced forwardly into position to be gripped between the printing cylinder I5 and the impression roller I6, as shown in Fig. 3. Successive sheets may be properly registered for printing operations by means of a mark or marks, as at 61, on the entire surfaces of the side plates 2 and 3 arranged in the form of a scale or by means of an adjustable guage y(not shown) supported on one of said sides.

It will be noted that the cut-out sections 54 of the portions 23 and 29 of the printing cylinder are opposite the impression roller i6 when the printing cylinder is locked preparatory to a printing operation. Accordingly the forward edge of the sheet or card may be moved freely between the printing member and the impression member for properly positioning the sheet 55 to receive the impression at a desired point thereon.

With the sheet 55 properly positioned to receive the impression, the latch 46 is retracted by manually depressing the arm 52 thereof, whereupon l5 the crank 39 is rotated in a clockwise direction and effects the rotation of the printing cylinder in a counter-clockwise direction. As the cylinder I5 begins rotation the portions 28 and 29 move into engagement with the sheet 55 and frictionally hold the same in Contact with the impression roller i6. Thus the sheet is moved thru the machine into and from contact with the type faces 32 by the grip of the printing cylinder I5 and impression roller I5.

At the completion of one revolution of the printing cylinder I5 the latch 46 reengages the locking disc fil and thereby locks the printing cylinder in stationary position until the latch is again disengaged therefrom at the beginning of a succeeding operation. At the completion of a printing operation, and just prior to the locking of the printing cylinder, button 65 on said cylinder engages the extension 53 on arm 6i and effects the disengagement of the distributor inking roller 5 from the associated applicator roller 5,6.

This operation is followed by the engagement of the extensions 63 with the buttons 54 on arms 5B, which retracts the applicator rollers 56 from engagement with the type faces. Thus when the printing cylinder is locked against operation the two inking rollers 55 and 5'! are disengaged from each other and also the roller 56 is disengaged from the printing cylinder.

The inking rollers 56 and 5T are quickly detachable from the machine and ink is applied thereto in the following manner: The inking plate I3 which carries a substantial coating of ink on its upper side is normally housed beneath the bed 8. Said plate may be extended from the bed outwardly to the left, as shown in Fig. 3. without actual removal therefrom. The plate is supported on the bed with the inked surface uppermost so that the distributor roller 51 when removed from operating position may be gripped 55 at the ends of its shaft 59 and rolled over the coated surface of the platen for applying a substantial film of ink to its periphery. Thereafter the roller 5l is replaced in the machine and the plate I3 is retracted to its position beneath the bed 8, where it is retained in such position that dirt and dust may not accumulate thereon. It is obvious that frictional contact between the printing cylinder and the roller 55 serves to rotate said roller for transferring ink to the type faces,

and in like manner contact between the rollers 56 and 5l' during the rotation of the printing cylinder elects the corresponding rotation of roller 51, whereby ink is transferred from the distributing roller to the applicator roller.

In printing menus, price lists, or other data, the type slugs Si, which are of cast type metal, may be of varying length, as indicated in Fig. 2, i. e., one or more slugs of different length may occupy each of the grooves 35 in the printing cylinder.

Thus in printing menus the prices of the different articles of food are formed on short slugs, while the names of the articles are formed on longer slugs. To change a menu, therefore, certain slugs are replaced by others for indicating different articles of food and for changing the prices there- 5 of from time to time.

The type slugs are readily removable and attachable in that the attaching members 34 are of vresilient and compressible material, thereby providing ample friction for holding the slugs 3l 10 firmly seated on the periphery 35 of the printing member, and at the same time being removable,

as by means of a stylus or other implement, at will.

An important feature of my invention consists 15 in the provision of the end portions 28 and 29 on the printing cylinder l5, the peripheries of which are but slightly lower than the type faces. Thus if the printing cylinder carries only a few of the type slugs 3l the portions 28 and 29, due 2o to their engagement with the impression roller l5, will prevent the application of undue pressure of the type slugs yon the sheets of material which would otherwise tend to indent the type in the paper and make `an unnecessarily heavy im- 25 pression thereon.

Another feature consists in the provision of metal flanges at the opposite ends of the applicator roller 56 which engage the periphery of the printing member l5 adjacent the portions 28 and e0 29 and serve to prevent the inwardV thrust of the roller 55 beyond a point which will cause the roller to jar or bounce when thetype slugs 30 engage the roller during the rotation of cylinder I5. 35

This feature also insures against mutilation of the roller 55 by forcible engagement of the type slugsil'theiewith. The periphery of the printing cylinder l5 being provided with the groovesil only thru amajor portion of the cir- 40 curnference thereof, the portions .28 and 29 are cut away at 5t with the ungrooved portion of the printing cylinder, thereby allowing ample space and opportunity for the free movement of sheets lof'material 55 between the printing cylinder and 45 the impression roller before the type faces come in contact with the sheets.

What I claim is:

1. A vprinting machine comprising a frame, a rotary printing member mounted thereon, a rela- 50 tively yieldable rotary impression member cooperating with the printing member for moving sheets of material thru the machine in a printing operation, a manually operable locking vdevice engageable with and for limiting the rotation of the 55 printing member to one revolution at each printing operation, and means associated with said locking device engageable with the printing member upon the .disengagement of said locking device for preventing a backward rotation of the (30 printing member, and for preventing the reengagement of the locking device with the printing member until the completion of a printing operation.

2. A printing machine comprising' a frame, a g5 rotary printing member mounted thereon, a relatively yieldable rotary impression member cooperating with the printing member for moving sheets of material thru the machine in a printing operation, a manually operable locking de- 70 vice engageable with and for limiting the rotation of the printing member to one revolution at each printing operation, an inking roller associated with said printing member, a yieldable support for said inking roller provided with an extension, 75

and means carried by said printing member for engagement with said support for disengaging said inking roller from the printing member at the completion of each printing operation.

3. A printing machine comprising a frame, a rotary printing member mounted thereon, a relatively yieldable rotary impression member cooperating with the printing member for moving sheets of material thru the machine in a printing operation, a manually operable locking device engageable with and for limiting the rotation of the printing member to one revolution at each printing operation, means carried by said locking member cooperating with means associated with the printing member for preventing the backward rotation of the printing member, a pair of inking rollers associated with said printing member, and means associated with the printing member for retracting said rollers from operative position at the completion of each printing operation.

4. A printing machine comprising a frame, a rotary printing member mounted thereon, a relatively yieldable rotary impression member L cooperating with the printing member for moving sheets of material thru the machine in a printing operation, a manually operable locking device engageable With and for limiting the rotation of the printing member to one revolution at each printing operation, means carried by said locking member cooperating with means associated with the printing member for preventing the backward rotation of the printing member, an applicator inkng roller engageable with the type faces of said printing member, a distributor roller engageable with said applicator roller, separate yieldable supports for said applicator and distributor rollers, and means associated with said printing member and engageable with portions of said yieldable supports, for retracting said rollers from operative positions at a point near the completion of each printing operation..

5. A printing machine comprising a frame, a rotary printing member mounted thereon, a relatively yieldable rotary impression member cooperating with the printing member for moving sheets of material thru the machine in. a printing operation, a manually operable locking device engageable with and for limiting the rotation of the printing member to one revolution at each printing operation, a yieldably supported applicator inking roller engageable with the type faces of said printing member, a yieldably supported distributor roller engageable with said applicator roller, and means associated with said printing member for retracting said rollers from operative positions at a point near the completion of each printing operation, said last mentioned means being effective for rst disengaging the distributing roller from the applicator roller and subsequently disengaging the applicator roller from the printing member.

6. A printing machine comprising juxtaposed rotatable printing and impression members, a manually operable locking device engageable with and for normaly holding said printing member against rotation, means associated with said locking device engageable with and for preventing the backward rotation of the printing member and also for preventing the reengagement of said locking device until the completion of a printing operation, and means for rotating said printing member.

7. A printing machine comprising a pair ol transversely spaced frame members, a horizontal bed supported on and spanning the space therebetween, a yieldable impression member rotatably mounted on said frame members and having its periphery adjustable relative to the plane of said bed, a rotatable printing member cooperating with and mounted adjacent said impression member, a manually operable locking device normally engaging and preventing the rotation of said printing member and including means for preventing the backward rotation of the printing member yafter the release of the printing member for a printing operation, a yieldable inking mechanism associated with and controlled by the rotation of said printing member, whereby the inking mechanism is disengaged from the printing member when the printing member is locked against rotation and is engaged therewith during the rotation of the printing member, and means for rotating said printing member.

SHERMAN H. PAXTON. 

